Pirate Ahoy! Capt. Kidd's Ship Found in Caribbean

Found in just 10 feet of water off coast of Dominican island
By Colleen Barry,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 14, 2007 4:20 AM CST
Pirate Ahoy! Capt. Kidd's Ship Found in Caribbean
In this photo released by Indiana University yesterday, an anthropology doctoral studentdocuments one of the cannons found in the shallow waters off Catalina Island, southeast of the Dominican Republic. The US underwater archaeology team announced it has likely discovered the shattered remnants of the...   (Associated Press)

An American underwater archaeology team has found what's believed to be the remains of a ship piloted by notorious buccaneer Captain William Kidd. Indiana University researchers discovered cannons and anchors off a tiny Caribbean island in just ten feet of water, which they believe belong to the Quedagh Merchant, a ship Kidd abandoned in 1699 to face criminal charges in New York.

"When I first looked down and saw it, I couldn't believe everybody missed it for 300 years," said an archaeologist. The ship has been aggressively sought by treasure hunters, and the team found evidence of looting. The university has been licensed to study the wreck and turn it into an underwater museum. Kidd was hanged in London in 1701. (More Caribbean stories.)

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